Akemi's Alchemy
by AllOtherAddictions
Summary: Akemi had heard of the famed Elric brothers, but when she met them in the renewed Lior, she finally had the chance to show them her alchemy. She only hoped that they would be impressed by her skills, but soon they become close friends. As she grows closer to the two, she learns so much more about them- is she in for more than she bargained for?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

I looked in the mirror as I washed the dust off of my face once again. I was getting tired of using my alchemy like this, to create things for my own personal benefit. I didn't ever believe in the law of equivalent exchange- sometimes you give more than you get and sometimes your gain outweighs the price you had to pay. That is just how the world works around here. I had always heard of a fabled Philosopher's Stone, one that could bypass equivalent exchange and all of those principles. Those were rumours, and I didn't need anything like that. I was fine with transmuting the way I always had.

As I left the bathroom of some restaurant in Lior, I saw them. Outsiders who obviously didn't belong here, much like myself. They didn't seem to notice me, but I certainly noticed them. I had heard of these two, the Elric brothers. They frequented this town recently, often checking up on it to see how far it had come since they destroyed it. Business had since grown exponentially here, with many new residents moving to town. It was all thanks to the Elrics, whose fame had since made Lior grow in the ranks as well. It was hard to miss them when they visited, people flocked to them like moths to a bright light. They had saved this town from ruin and the people wanted to thank them.

At first, I decided to keep my distance from them as I followed the two from afar. They walked up and down the streets and quietly murmured to one another. It had been quite a few years since the two had killed the Fuhrer, a few years since Edward's wife Winry had died. I didn't know the circumstances of her death, but I knew that she was very important to both of them. After her death I had heard that Edward became a bit of a recluse, but he had recently been adventuring Lior and the other cities he had changed with Alphonse.

The boys were in their twenties now, about the same age as me. I considered introducing myself, but decided that they must have been busy. They seemed to be having private conversations, both murmuring and smirking in turn. Finally, they glanced behind them and I was positive they had seen me. Inhaling deeply, I stopped moving. The men kept walking, their voices low and secretive. I decided to keep following them.

"You know, some might think that it is creepy for you to follow us like this." Edward Elric said, turning around and facing my general direction. My stomach dropped as I realized he had been talking to me. I slowly stepped out of the shadow I had been resting in and waved shyly. I had been caught, and now I had to explain myself. Laughing nervously, I spoke:

"I- I am so sorry. I didn't mean to be… creepy. I'll leave now." I sheepishly turned away and started walking briskly in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Alphonse called. "What's your name?" I kept walking and pressed my arms tightly to my side, clenching my fists. This was a common reaction for me during an awkward situation such as this.

"Hey! Come back here!" Edward exclaimed as he began to jog after me. I heard Alphonse sigh faintly as he followed his brother. Finally, I gave up and halted to a quick stop.

"Look, I'm really sorry and I don't even know _why_ I had been following you. Please don't think I'm weird or call the authorities- I will leave you alone now!" I told them. I was very nervous to talk to the two of them. I didn't know why, but I couldn't bring myself to look them in the eyes.

"C'mon, it's okay. We wouldn't call the authorities. Please tell Brother and me your name." Alphonse said kindly.

"Um… okay. My name is Akemi." By then, my cheeks were bright red and I was dying inside. I couldn't believe that I was talking to the famous Elric brothers. This was absolutely insane to me.

"Akemi. My name is Edward, and this is my younger brother Alphonse. We are the Elrics." Edward gestured to the younger of the two.

"I know. I mean, I have heard of you." I cursed at myself for being so awkward and creepy again. What the hell was wrong with me?

"Akemi, can you do alchemy?" As Edward asked me those five simple words, I felt my whole face lighten up. I grinned at him and nodded furiously. He smirked at me and plainly said, "Prove it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Alphonse and Edward stood behind me, waiting eagerly for me to prove myself. I took a deep breath and sighed.

 _Okay, I can do this. I can definitely, positively do this. Just… put your hands together… and transmute something. Okay… now!_ I shoved my hands together briskly and reached to the ground. The earth beneath my feet shifted and I was swiftly pushed upwards as walls rose around me. I had created a small house, about ten feet taller than the ground I had previously been standing on. The walls looked flimsy, but I hoped this would prove something to the men beneath me. I walked over to the window and peered down at the Elrics.

"You think _that_ is going to prove anything?" Edward called up to me. My face squished into a displeased scowl as I backed up, preparing for my next transmutation.

"But Brother, did you see-"

"Yes Al, she transmuted without a circle. I just wanted to see what she really could do." Edward said quietly to his brother. His voice was supressed by a sudden roar I had created by immediately pushing the earth back in place. I walked over to Edward and Alphonse and leant down beside them. I picked up a rock on the ground and clapped it in my hands. It formed a gun that worked, which I promptly loaded with bullets I transmuted along with the gun. I aimed it at Edward's face and he stepped back.

"Whoa, um… Akemi! I just wanted proof, not a fight!" he said, a little nervously. I grinned at him, hoping that I looked as maniacal as I felt. I pulled the trigger on the gun, but before I did I tilted it slightly to the right of Edward's head. The sound that this small piece of metal and gun powder produced was incredible, loud enough to make my ears bleed.

"Ow! You nicked me!" Edward exclaimed. I simply laughed and told him that I meant to do it. Alphonse's mouth was gaping, but he soon started to smile and giggle as well. Edward pouted as we all walked away.

"So Akemi," Alphonse said softly to me, after Ed had stopped whining. I looked up at him and shielded my eyes from the sun behind his head. After looking at him for a second I said, "Yes Alphonse?"

"How did you learn to do alchemy? I mean, did you study it?" It was difficult to remember exactly how I had learned, but when I did I beamed.

"I don't know if you've ever heard of Izumi Curtis, but she was my teacher. I was her second student. She always used to talk about her first apprentices- a set of brothers- the ones who were going to change the world. I wonder how she's doing now and if they really did accomplish what she thought they would."

"So, Teacher really _did_ love us then. I can't believe she would brag like that though." Edward said, nonchalant as always. I stopped walking to look at him.

"Wait, what? Izumi was your teacher? I had no idea- I just thought the brothers she always spoke of were a family friend or something. I had no idea it was you two!" I exclaimed excitedly. Alphonse nodded and smiled at me.

"So, you've been following in our footsteps then."

"No way! I wouldn't want to do that because…" I trailed off, realizing how rude I sounded. "I just mean that you guys experienced so much and were forced to grow up so quickly, I don't know if I could have done that." The brothers chuckled.

"Yes, I guess we _were_ forced to grow up early. You know, we had our goal set out and it was hard and everything, but we had each other. And Winry."

"Ed, I'm sorry. I've heard great things about her." Edward looked at me and smiled shyly. He started walking faster until he was ahead of me and then he turned around to face me again.

"C'mon, we just met you and already we're talking about such heavy things. Let's go do something fun to get our minds off of this sort of stuff!" Edward started to run. "I'll meet you at the tavern!"

"You know, he really misses her. He doesn't say it much, but I can see it in his eyes. It's probably best if you leave the past in the past. Some things happened to Ed after she died, things that still haunt him to this day." Alphonse said, looking down at his feet as we walked side by side.

"Things? Like what?" I inquired, being the nosy busy-body that I am.

"Just… things. Never mind. It's not your problem Akemi. C'mon, we've got to meet Ed at the tavern!" And with that, the other Elric brother took off.

"Wait up!" I said as I ran to catch up. I couldn't help but feel uneasy about what Al had said, but for now I was going to leave it alone.


End file.
